A council has received more than 1,100 applications as it begins offering businesses support.

Ashford Borough Council has collected a multi-department team of its officers to come up with ways to support the region's industry through the coronavirus pandemic.

The procedures have been put in place by members of the Economic Development team including LoveAshford, Corporate Property, Tourism, Licensing and Revenues and Benefits teams.

Included in the offered aid is a jobs retention scheme, statutory sick pay, retail business rates holiday, retail grants, small business grants, extra time to pay tax, VAT deferral, business interruption loans, bank support and information on support for the self-employed.

Already more than 1,100 submissions have been made for these measures, with the first payments having been dispatched on Friday and the second batch is due to be sent out this week.

The council notes that feedback from businesses who are submitting their applications has been very positive, with them appreciating the speed of turnaround and the hard work being put in by the officers involved.

Ashford Borough Council also highlights that if eligible, businesses should fill in this online application form on the council’s website.

Cllr Gerry Clarkson, Leader of the Council, said: “I’d like to thank the team who have been working hard to put all of these new processes in place to administer the payments quickly.

"These payments are going to be vital to helping as many of the borough’s businesses make it through these unprecedented times as possible.”

Other routes of support can be found via this link, and he Kent and Medway Growth Hub have set up a phone line at 03333 602300, for business support advice, 8.30am - 5pm Monday to Friday.

Webchat is also available on all the relevant business pages on the Ashford Borough Council website.

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